Sensitive door edge structure



Nov. 1, 1938- c. w. BASSETT SENSITIVE DOOR EDGE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 15,1937 INVENTOR Cyrus 14 Basseii BY QQ- A Q ATTORNEYSONLG Patented Nov. 1,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE SENSITIVE DOOR EDGE STRUCTUREApplication February 15, 1937, Serial No. 125,780

9 Claims.

This invention relates to so-called sensitive edges for vehicle doors bymeans of which controlling mechanism for the door operator is actuatedto effect a reversal of the movement of the door should it strike anobject in closing.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofsensitive edge structure in the form of a unit which may be readilymounted upon and removed from the door as a single piece.

The other detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the attacheddrawing.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction,arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described ingreater detail in the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the forward edge portion of adoor with some parts broken away showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of the door with thedevice of the invention attached;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed view showing the internal constructionand the manner of supporting the sensitive edge unit.

It is common practice today to employ reversing switches on the forwardedge of vehicle doors to effect their reversal in direction of movementin the event they strike an object in closing. The switch isincorporated into a flexible encased housing built onto the door toprovide the socalled sensitive edge. For example, these devices arefrequently used on the doors of subway cars. At the present time thereis a tendency, which is growing, to apply these devices to the edges ofelevator and hatchway doors. In such use the appearance, constructionand application thereof to elevator and hatchway doors become ofimportance from a decorative viewpoint. In addition, continuity ofservice makes it desirable to permit ready application and removal ofthe sensitive edge structure to and from a door. The general purpose ofthis invention is to provide a physical structure which blends in withits surrounding decorative feature when applied to elevator and hatchwaydoors and one which comprises a self-contained unit which may be readilymounted on and removed from a door. In addition this structure isassociated with the door in such a way as to be flush with the sidesthereof and to, in appearance, form but a continuation thereof. Otherdetails of construction and the advantages thereof will be referred toin connection with the following description.

There is illustrated at l a portion of a door which may, of course, be adoor for any purpose but which here will be referred to as an elevatordoor. The sensitive edge unit is mounted on the forward edge thereof andis flush with the sides of the door, as is clear from Figure 2. Thisunit comprises a pair of shallow channel members 2 and 3 preferably madeof metal and desirably of brass, suitably finished. The channels 2 and 3are united together in spaced relation by a series of screws or bolts 4which extend therethrough and therebetween. Interposed between thestrips 2 and 3 and mounted on the screws are the spacing members 5 whichare of such length as to hold the strips with the desired spacing. Thespaces are all of uniform length so that the strips are parallel, andwith respect to a particular door the combined width of the metal partsthus formed is exactly equal to the thickness of the door so that thesides thereof are flush.

The transverse width of the slots formed by the side arms of the strips2 and 3 is equal to the thickness of the channel shaped casing 6, thefree edges of which lie in the slots and through which the bolts 4 pass.This casing or housing 6 is preferably made of sheet rubber, rubberizedfabric, or other suitable flexible material. As shown in Figure 1, thestrips 2 and 3 and the casing 6 are of such vertical height as to besubstantially equal to the height of the door. Mounted in the casing infront of the strips is a bar or strip 251 of some suitable resilientmaterial, such as sponge rubber, which extends upwardly from the lowerend of the casing, see Figure l, and terminates short of the topthereof. On the face of the bar adjacent the channels or strips 2 and 3are a series of substantially semi-circular IBr, cesses 2| which are sopositioned as to coincide with the spacers 5. In addition, theserecesses are provided at intermediate points. This renders the bar 20more flexible and, therefore, more easily deformable for a purpose to bedescribed shortly. y

In the space between the bar 20 and the curved side of the housing 6 area pair of electrodes or contact members 1 and 8. The member I is in theform of a relatively large coil spring and the member 8 mountedconcentrically with the member l is in the form of a wire, or, asillustrated, 55

in the form of a Bowdin wire. The lower ends of the electrodes areattached to an insulating plug or support 9 in any suitable and wellknown manner. The plug 9 is arranged so that its flanged head restsagainst the lower edges of the casing 6 and the bar 20. At I0 is a metalbracket mounted between and secured to the strips 2 and 3 in anysuitable manner. This bracket is tubular in form at its outer end toreceive an insulating bushing H in which is mounted the metal terminalpiece 12. The upper end of the electrode 7 passes through the bushing ll and is secured to the metal terminal piece l2 in any suitable manner,as by soldering or the like. The upper end of the electrode 8 encirclesthe insulating bushing H and is attached to the bracket I0 in anysuitable manner as by soldering, welding, and the like. The circuitwires to these electrodes are indicated at l3 attached respectively tothe terminal piece l2 and the bracket to and extending along the topedge of the door at one side within a suitable metal molding piece l4attached to the door by the screws E5. These wires extend to the controlapparatus in any well known manner.

The structure just described comprises, as will be apparent, a completeself-sustaining unit and is detachably secured on the forward edge ofthe door in any suitable manner. For example, as indicated in thedrawing, the forward edge of the door may be provided with a series ofspring clips or brackets l6 attached thereto by screws and positioned soas to engage certain of the spacing members 5. In a normal door aboutsix to eight of these brackets are provided. They are so shaped that theassociated spacers 5 must be forced down into position against theresistance thereof, thereby locking the unit in place on the door edge.

It will be seen then that whenever it is desired to replace thesensitive edge for any reason it may be lifted off and a new onesubstituted therefor. There are enough of the spring clips l6 so as toensure that the structure is firmly and securely attached to the door.To facilitate the guiding of the clips into place their upper ends areconverging and rounded as indicated in Figure 4. The width of the clips16, as is clear from Figure 4:, is just equal to the space between theinner faces of the strips 2 and 3 so that when the clips are properlyplaced on the edge of the door they not only support the structure onthe door but position it transversely so as to accurately align it flushwith the sides of the door.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the features ofthis invention may readily be varied in detail without departure fromthe true scope thereof. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictlylimited to this invention but rather to the true scope thereof asdefined in the claims granted me.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a door, of a sensitive edge structure comprisinga pair of spaced parallel strips, means for securing the strips togetherin spaced relation, a flexible housing projecting from the strips andsecured thereto, a pair of electrodes mounted in the housing, and aplurality of clips mounted on the edge of the door and positioned toreceive adjacent spacing members therein to hold the unit on the door.

2. The combination with a door, of a sensitive edge structure comprisinga pair of spaced parallel strips, means for securing the strips togetherin spaced relation, a flexible housing projecting from the strips andsecured thereto, a pair of electrodes mounted in the housing, and aplurality of clips mounted on the edge of the door and positioned toreceive adjacent spacing members therein to hold the unit on the door,said clips spacing the unit so that the sides thereof are flush with thesides of the door.

3. The combination with a door, of a sensitive edge structure comprisinga pair of spaced parallel strips, means for securing the strips togetherin spaced relation, a flexible housing projecting from the strips andsecured thereto, a pair of electrodes mounted in the housing, and aplurality of clips mounted on the edge of the door and positioned toreceive adjacent spacing members therein to hold the unit on the door,the width of said clips being substantially equal to the spacing betweensaid strips whereby the unit is positioned flush with the sides of thedoor.

4. The combination as described, comprising a door having a plurality ofspring clips mounted on the forward edge thereof and a unitary switchstructure comprising a pair of channelled strips, means for securing thestrips together in parallel spaced relation, a flexible casing havingits edges secured in the channels of the strips, and a pair ofcooperating switch members supported in the casing in spaced relation,said securing means engaging said clips to hold the switch structure onthe door.

5. The combination as described, comprising a door having a plurality ofspring clips mounted on the forward edge thereof and a unitary switchstructure comprising a pair of channelled strips, means for securing thestrips together in parallel spaced relation, a flexible casing havingits edges secured in the channels of the strips, and a pair ofelectrodes supported in the casing in spaced relation, said switchstructure being supported on the door by said clips, said spacing meansengaging said clips to hold the unit on the door and aligned flush withthe sides thereof.

6. The combination as described, comprising a door having a plurality ofspring clips mounted on the forward edge thereof and a unitary switchstructure comprising a pair of channelled strips, means for securing thestrips together in parallel spaced relation, a flexible casing havingits edges secured in the channels of the strips, a pair of electrodessupported in the casing in spaced relation, said switch structure beingsupported on the door by the engagement of said clips with said securingmeans, and a resilient cushion member interposed between the edge of thedoor and the electrodes.

'7. The combination as described, comprising a door having a pluralityof spring clips mounted on the forward edge thereof and a unitary switchstructure comprising a pair of channelled strips, means for securing thestrips together in parallel spaced relation, a flexible casing havingits edges secured in the channels of the strips, 2. pair of electrodessupported in the casing in spaced relation, said switch structure beingsupported on the door by the engagement of said clips with said securingmeans, and a resilient cushion member interposed between the edge of thedoor and the electrodes, said cushion member being recessed to increaseits flexibility.

8. The combination comprising a door, a plurality of brackets mounted onthe front edge of the door, a control device comprising a pair ofchannelled strips, means for securing the strips together in spacedrelation including spacers, a

U-shaped flexible housing member having its free edges secured in thechannels of said strips, and a pair of contact members mounted withinthe housing member, the spacing members engaging said brackets to mountthe control device on the door, said brackets lying between the stripsand transversely positioning the device on the door.

9. The combination comprising a door, a plurality of brackets mounted onthe front edge of the door, a control device comprising a pair ofchannelled strips, means for securing the strips together in spacedrelation including spacers, a U-shaped flexible housing member havingits free edges secured in the channels of said strips, a pair of contactmembers mounted Within the housing member, the spacing members engagingsaid brackets to mount the control device on the door, said bracketslying between the strips and transversely positioning the device on thedoor, and a bar of resilient material extending parallel to the edge ofthe door and lying 10 between it and the contact members.

CYRUS W. BASSETT.

